While the mouse certainly has been a smart device enabling us to navigate a Graphical User Interface efficiently - in fact they had been key for the successful adoption of GUIs at all, the new way to interact with a computer allows us to use a more natural device: our own fingers. And with multi-touch screens we can use a few of those.

Meanwhile producers of traditional personal computer and laptops loose more and more market share taken away by tablet computers.

What will be the next revolution in terms of human interaction with a computer after the touch screen ?

TomS

Well, I can only think of things that are already used in Science Fiction.
*Minority Report's "touchless touchscreen" using projection/holograms.
*Thought control with a fancy helmet. Especially when it evolves and you're not only be able to move a cursor around, scroll through lists or zoom in and out of pictures and maps, but when you'll be able to think of a picture and the computer creates it for you. Want to remove something from a picture? No more clicking through the menus of Photoshop. Simply think of how that picture would look without the object and it's done. I know I for one would enjoy this so much. I wanna create pictures or music and it sounds phanastic in my mind, but I don't have the skills to draw it as it should look like, or to create the music on a computer, even if I have all the necessary sounds and instruments available.
But less creative applications are possible, too. Don't take a photo camera with you, just copy the memories to your computer and project them into your friends' minds. Holiday slideshow of the next millennium

EDIT: Gruß nach Mainz

darthrevan

Not sure, maybe the touchscreens will show everything in 3d or so.

amagard

Ah, TomS from Germany, I think you are on the right track: mind controlled computers will be one of the next steps in the evolution of computer interfaces. Will it be the next step already ? Will it be the last step ? Anyway, research already is underway ...

ocalhoun

1: I take issue with his (in the picture) saying that 'click wheels' are a step above the mouse. No, the mouse is obviously a much more versatile, easier to use, and more precise input method.

2: What's next? Eye tracking of course. The cursor on the screen moves to whatever you're looking at. Achieved by having a little camera looking at your eyes and computing the angles.
After that... well, if they can get a monkey to move a mouse cursor with implanted electronics wired into his nervous system, it'll probably be available for humans sooner or later.

Josso

My answer: neural interface

What will really happen: some interface which is even more "user friendly" (aka: idiot friendly) and totally destroys the point of using a computer in the first place, especially for people who want to use a computer as a computer not just some convenience/fashion thing.

cybersa

I think it was 6th sense device.
Some information here:http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10159601-1.html

amagard

ocalhoun, I partially agree with you, nevertheless I think click wheels probably have been a good compromise for some time for small devices to which you don't want to attach extra external devices.